Evolution Intro

The figure shows how natural selection of a single-trait gene affects lizard survival. Which of the following most likely causes the changes in allele distribution?

• The allele for light gray coloration disappears from the population. This may be because light gray lizards are more visible to predators and therefore they might be less likely to survive and reproduce.

• The allele for black coloration decreases fitness and becomes less common. This may be because black coloration keeps the lizards cool during hot summer temperatures.

• Medium gray coloration in lizards appears to be a neutral mutant allele that allows the lizards to hide better from predators. This leads to increases in phenotype and allele frequency of gray coloration.

• Because black and medium gray lizards are less visible to predators, these alleles are neutral to natural selection and therefore will not disappear from the population of lizards.

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What type of structures are these?

• homologous

• vestigial 

• analogous

• fossil

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The trees these moths used to live on were white, but have been covered in soot from coal factories. Which moth will be more successful in this environment?

• Dark moth

• Light moth

• Both will be equally successful

• Neither will be successful

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The differences among a species, like different bird beaks, are called

• genes.

• variations.

• traits.

• theories.

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Why is the mouse population changing over time?

• The light mice can reproduce more successfully than the dark mice

• The hawks eat more dark mice than light mice because the dark mice taste better

• The hawks eat more light mice than dark mice because they can see the light mice more easily

• The hawks eat more dark mice than light mice because they can see the dark mice more easily

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

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The graphs below show the changes in crab color at one beach. Which of the following is most likely to have caused the change in the distribution?

• A new predator arrived that preferred dark-tan crabs.

• A new predator arrived that preferred light-tan crabs.

• A change in beach color made medium-tan crabs the least visible to predators.

• A change in beach color made medium-tan crabs the most visible to predators.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Grass plants in a population range in height from 6 cm to 25 cm. The short plants receive little sunlight, and the tall plants are eaten by grazing animals. Which statement best describes the effect of natural selection on the grasses?

• Because average height grass plants are favored, stabilizing natural selection is occurring.

• Because average height grass plants are favored, disruptive natural selection is occurring.

• Because tall grass plants are favored by the animals that eat grass, directional selection is occurring.

• Because short and tall grass plants are favored, normal natural selection is occurring.

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Whales are aquatic mammals that contain a pelvis (hip) bone. Even though it does not aid in its movement, the function must have been used by a common ancestor of the whale. Thus, the pelvis is referred to as a(n)

• vestigial structure

• analogous structure

• homologous structure

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Where humans have bred organisms together based on traits we like.

• Evolution

• Natural Selection

• Extinction 

• Artificial Selection

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Why are advantageous traits more likely to be passed onto offspring?

• Because they are more likely to survive and reproduce.

• Because they come from dominant alleles.

• Because they come from recessive alleles.

• Because the trait is an acquired phenotype.

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